Roman Catholic

American  

adjective

1. of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church.

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noun

1. a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

Roman Catholic British  

adjective

1. of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church

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noun

1. a member of this Church

Etymology

Origin of Roman Catholic

First recorded in 1595–1605

Compare meaning

How does roman-catholic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic

Example Sentences

One graduate student, Patrick, is a devoted Roman Catholic, unquestioning in his faith.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Last month, there was an international outcry after Israeli police prevented the top Roman Catholic leader in Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for a private mass on Palm Sunday.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

As Roosevelt moved the U.S. toward intervention, he sent an envoy to the Vatican, hoping to craft global, ecumenical religious alliances—and there was no alliance he coveted more than with the Roman Catholic Church.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

He wanted to offer Holy Communion, the central sacrament of Roman Catholic faith, not only to the detainees inside the facility, but also to the federal agents stationed there.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

There’s standing room only at St. Martin of Tours Roman Catholic church on Hancock Street, and it’s a sea of all shades of brown people wearing either black or white.

From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi